Kok: Lisbon goals 'a bridge too far'

Former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, who wrote a key report on Europe's competitiveness, has admitted that the EU's Lisbon goal to become the most competitive, knowledge-based economy in the World by 2010 is "a bridge too far".

Speaking on Tuesday (1 February) at a conference arranged by the European Venture Capital Association (EVCA) in Brussels, Mr Kok asked whether the EU can still live up to its ambitious goals and concluded, "that is one bridge too far, I fear", adding that hitting...